Jean Stories Presents the Top 5 Denim Trends from the Pre-Fall 2015 Collections

For a lot of designers, pre-fall is a season where they strive to be a little more practical; they know their woman needs very wearable pieces to take her through a transition of seasons. Hello, denim. What else does exactly that so well?

For pre-fall, designers have given us ladylike indigo tailoring; seventies-inspired, A-line, midi skirts; and, daresay, boot-cuts and culottes (they’re good, we promise); and some more forward-thinking looks—because not everything can be as easy to throw on as a favorite five-pocket; that would be boring. Here, our top five denim trends from the pre-fall 2015 collections.

1. Lady Denim

We had to blink a few times and refocus when we saw denim at Carolina Herrera and Monique Lhuillier. Really, was it true that two houses known for their dressed-up collections showed blue-jean looks? Yes! Though they did so in very feminine, classic, ladylike shapes (see the deep indigo trenches at Alexander McQueen) that will lunch very well.

2. That 70s Skirt

For spring, denim skirts went long . . . as in ankle-, and even floor-skimming (Chloé for the win). Pre-fall’s, though, are calf-length and so seventies, with buttons down the front, or not. How to wear the look without being so literal about the decade? With a leather jacket (see Michael Kors) or a denim one, like at Rag & Bone.

3. Culottes

When we saw the ones Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri did at Valentino, the word culottes was officially taken off the fashion-words-that-make-us-cringe list. Theirs were raw denim, or two-tone, or even embroidered with blue butterflies. And Derek Lam, for instance, made this notoriously tricky length less so by pairing his with tall leather boots.

4. Boot Cut

The boot cut has been on our to-find list for a few months. Not a version of the low-rise, early-aughts style that reigned before the skinny came into view, but a more sophisticated, trouser-type fit. Sonia Rykiel answered the call (the white, button-fly is really good). And so did Fendi, most perfectly, even giving us the boot to go with it.

5. Counterintuitive

These aren’t your average ways to wear denim; they take a little more thought to digest and figure out (and they’re not for the meek). But once they do work, they’re modern and cool and really different. Take Acne Studios’ shearling-lined, dark-denim dress over ballooning trousers, or No. 21’s long-rise, oversize jeans.